Letters -- Published August 25, 2009

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, a Nobel prize-winning economist, wrote about the Republican hysteria about living wills that will tell grandma when she should die.

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, a Nobel prize-winning economist, wrote about the Republican hysteria about living wills that will tell grandma when she should die.

Why do the Republicans want to scare the elderly, one of which I'm quickly becoming? Oddly, as Krugman pointed out, both Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and former Alaska Gov. Sara Palin were for end-of-life directives, with Palin signing a proclamation in 2008 to encourage consideration of advance medical directives.

My in-laws lived in Iowa and would have benefited from such a directive. My mother-in-law, with dementia, was in her house alone when her husband died. Neighbors stepped in until the sons could take over. There was no living will. The provision the GOP so hatefully opposes would have given their doctor some incentive to discuss the "what ifs."

Cathy WestphalStockton

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I simply cannot understand why so many elderly people are protesting the proposed changes in health care. I am elderly, and I have been so thankful for the government programs I depend on. Medicare, even with all the waste and red tape, and the monthly Social Security check that is automatically deposited each month, have given me a chance to enjoy old age and be productive at 88.

Now we elderly must do all we can to support health care changes that will cover everyone. Let everyone have the benefits we have had. We do need better regulations that will prevent insurance companies, instead of our doctors and us, from deciding our medications and medical procedures.

And when the time comes for that final decision, I will want my doctor and family to do that with me or for me.

Alice M. AndersonStockton

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Why are we allowing our politicians and ourselves to be bullied by the insurance industry and big pharma?

They are using the same scare tactics they used in 1993-94 to kill decent and economical health care for all. Their interest is not health care but profit at the expense of sick people. They profit by denying claims and dropping or forcing you off the plan if you began to cost them too much money. They make doctors do a "Mother, may I" to get permission for some tests for patients. Bad policy.

Paperwork and overhead for administering insurance industry health plans run around 30 percent (or more). Medicare administration runs at 2 percent, so the government plan is much more efficient. Insurance plans fear that comparison.

What 70 percent of the people want is a universal, single-payer plan, but the insurance industry has forced that off the table. Insurers simply want to keep making billions in profit, not competition from a decent, good government plan such as Medicare. The insurance lobby has labeled any government plan "socialized medicine," which is a total misrepresentation.

Please support Congress in its battle for health care.

B.A. RogersStockton

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We must have health care reform that covers all the millions of currently uninsured Americans and the 14,000 people who are losing their insurance coverage every day. To do this, a real public option is essential.

To obtain a public option (Medicare for all ages), it cannot and must not be a bipartisan bill. To his credit, the president has tried this approach, but it just cannot happen.

A bipartisan bill will result in a monstrosity like the Republican "reform" of Medicare with its "doughnut hole" and excess profits for the drug industry.

Real reform, despite the manipulated town hall anger tactic, will have a real public option.

Mario D'AngeliStockton

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